Doughnut filling machine



Feb. 23, 1954 D. D. BALLEW 2,669,947

DOUGHNUT FILLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.|.

34 2 s7 35 '9' I. I r: l $3 4 38 INVENTOR.

FIGS.

Feb. 23, 1954 D. D. BALLEW DOUGHNUT FILLING MACHINE I Filed Jan. 7, 19532 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

DALLAS D.BALLEW I69. M w.

Patented Feb. 23, 1 954 2;es9,947" I DOUGHNUTzFILLINrGjMAGHINE;

nallasn. Ballew; Baltimore,,,Mdf

Applicatibn' l'anuary 7, 1953'aScriaL-No; 330,100?

6-. Claims. (01'; 107- This @invention: :re1ates:-to:;dispensers sfor:fillin cakes; doughnuts; andzotherz confections, .with syrupsaj ellies;.preservesr-and: :other: items isuitable forreatingcasrvvell -as:makingaa;.combination':that issattractiveand; consumabl Moreparticularly itlpertains to'a devicesof the dispensing type thatprovides a for 1: the: mechanical propulsion; of 5 the fluidfillingcinpredetermined;quantities through aszspoutt of: convenient: design: to;the: article of food i' brougl'it-cv into: itsa sphere 2 of?functioning, through :the -.manual.;positi0ning by); anoperator.

Inn a-i presentzformii of; dispenser: of this type, d-imeultyaisexperienced-in .preventingzthe-;device from gummingmp; by reasonoofthie:fillingenter: ingiinto the movingzpartszofitheemechanism :used forforcingathefluid material irom:the =-dispenser. Theamotoremployed ifor;operating; the conventional! mechanism; is:: of; the: high-speed rotarytypei-and zrequirea considerable '5 enereyyimitsa us At the same timethe :control otithe mechanism and ithe. flow rofsthetafilling 5718511017:as operationally smooth. and. sharply; tuned tosdispense; the. ma,-terialseasmiesi-red;x to meet-bathe: sanitary requir ments'approvedafor:thereproductionriof;commerciallfood' products-.2.

Thiscinventiomanticipates theseadiffi'cultiesvin an'efiective andeconomical manner; 7 The fillin is held in a reservoir or fillingfitankgwithransout letiformed thereirr'. (at the bottom-2). It;h;as afunnehleading toza cylinder vertioallyvextended therefromzi. A: hollow,plfmger reeiprocates; in tlnszzcyli-ndervunderitheiaction,ofzranso-lenoid and measures s'outrtheequamtit'y of:fil;li-ngrt0bes'dii'se pensedzi. It .zforcesrthecfiiling out by intermittent strokes:from when-cylinder.- into.:,-a spout: arranged tordeliver ititortliesarticle; ofwfood; presented man:- uadlyv by the operatomfor rfilling: we

The inventionhassamongstiitsrobieetstthez=proe visiom 0152anewvandcimprovect filling dispenser for injectingrjelliesrand other:edible :produets m container-{om the. fillings: material; removably 21positioned-in,the.operating means butvnot otherrwise attaohedmthereto 1Other; objects, .wi11,beoometapparentiasithesinr ventioniis. morefu1ly,exp1ained.- Flori a. betterivunderstanding off theyinvention itsprinciples, objects, and. operations; reference is,.made..to..the;accompanying drawingsvwherein a particulanform of the inventions-isillustrated by, way oinexamplet- These drawings iwhenrused incompilation, with, the.,fo1low-ing., description indioateai preferredform whilathe olaimswemvphasize. the scope of,the..invention.-.. I IIn,.the. drawings: V Figure .1. is ,a..side elevationofi the-fi1lingdispenser, ,embovdying this-invention; withportions broken .away, to.showmitsiinternal ,construotion;

Eigureo 2, is'e an enlargedi sectional. elevation through. the.cylinder, and; plunger, included in this embodiment; Eigure,3 isalfrontelevationoiltheembodimen wither pprtioni of. the reservoir or.fillingitank cut ofig, a

Figureflisiaplan-view. of the -checkl valve-; disc u ed intheembodimentto, controlj' thev flow, of

,fillingmatmiallto.and vfromotheplunger;

Eieurej is aside elevation taken along line 5-'-5f0.IFieure.4; v Figure6i'is" a sectional Lelevation. takenion line 6-;6of;Fi ,ur 1; o 7

Figure Pisa detailjoi Lthe, cross strutandiadjustable stop for guide.bar. attached, to, the lun er; 7

Fi ure .8 is a detailiin perspective of thetmechanism used; inthisembodimentto operate the controlfiswitchofjthe solenoideircuit;

Figure 9 is adetail'in perspective of the plunger used; in thisembodiment; Figure, 10'is a perspective view, ofjthe, dripgcollector.used in '.this .embodiment;

Figure .;11iis' a detail in perspective of the plung er head i used inthis embodiment;

Figure 12';is a.detai1'.0f. the sp g usedtotension the plunger. in.'th'e.cylinder;.

' Figure 13 is avplan' view of the base showing the irregularshapedholes and magnetiowindings to enable' the -'-filli'ng tank; tubing and 1spout? tfo be-removed'in one piece fromvthe'baseyandpp;- erating; means;and r Y Figure 14*isga" diagram-ofthejelectrioal control circuit of the-solenoid.

Similar reference numerals refer-to= the same parts throughout=tliedrawings:

Referring to Figure- 1; particularly-;' in which the invention issiliustratedf partly: im section; a basei-n'l miconsistseoiv'ar shellforming-sanerinclosure amrzwhichraisolenoidi l I :a reetifienrvl Handaimioros switch l3 are located. The solenoid H has a flange l4 throughwhich screws pass to hold it securely to top wall It. Likewise theselenium rectifier I2 is held to this wall It by the brackets I8extending from one wall to the other. The microswitch I3 is internallymounted with its operating button I! extending through the front sidewall of the base for facile operation by a handle mechanism I9.

The handle mechan sm l9 consists of a U- formed wire handle 28 havingcoils 2i and a switch pushing bar l5. The coils 2| are fastened to apair of supporting brackets 22 rigidly installed in the top wall of thebase. The coils 2| resiliently tension on the brackets 22 whenthe U-formhandle 2! is pressed downwardly. When the handle 20 is pressed down theswitch pushing bar I registers with the switch button I! and closes theswitch. When the pressure is removed the handle 20 recoils upwardly andthe switch button returns to open position. The switch I3 is connectedin'the circuit 23 so as to energize the solenoid I from the currentpassing from the selenium rectifier 12. The rectifier I2 has connections24 leading to a cable 25 attached to an exterior electrical service.

The solenoid H has irregular form coil windings 2'5 within its housingwhich induce a flux of magnetism tending to draw its iron core plungerdownwardly. The core in this instance is a plunger 21 of spec al form.It is of course made of iron or other suitable magnetic material. Theplunger is provided with a passage 28 passing longitudinally through it.This passage serves as a duct to lead the filling material 30 to thearticle of food 62 to be filled. The entrance 29 of the passage 28 hasangular wall 29 for funneling the filling material into the passage 28from the fill ng tank 56 mounted above. Flanges 32 are peripherallyradiated at the top and bottom of the plunger to run against the wallsof the neck 65 and guide it in its reciprocation. The neck 60 ispositioned centrally in the solenoid I I and forms a guide for the coreor plunger 21 to travel in. The flanges 32 encompass an annular space 34as may be noted in Figure 2. This space serves as a catch-all for anyfill ng leaking past the flanges and prevents the filling material fromcompacting and hardening and prevents the plunger from being gummed tothe wall of the neck 60. The plunger 21 has a relatively short strokeunder the action of the solenoid and journal 58. A converging coilspring 35 presses against the bottom of the plunger and tends to keep itlifted to the upper or normal limit of its stroke. This kind of spr ngis preferably employed because it takes up little room and can bepressed flat to about the thickness of the wire of which it is made, andtherefore avoids the necessity of making the cylinder unduly long. Thebottom wall 36 of the tank neck 60 is made with a funnel shaped outlet3! leading to a duct .38 employed for delivering the filling 30 to apipe 39 and a fitting 4|, for coupling purposes. A tubing 39 is coupledto the fitting ll and passes up through a hole 43 in the wall It, whereit is rounded into an elbow and terminated in a union 44. A suitablespout 45 is removably attached by this union and has its end portion ornozzle 45 tapered to cut into the article and deliver the filling intothe article of food to be filled.

The spout 45 is extended above the base H3 and is in a convenientposition for the manual placement of the article of food thereon by theoperator, and positioned over the U-fcrnc' W 13i hd dl e 4 20 sothelatter can be operated while the filling action is taking place.

The plunger 21 has a filler head 40 screw threaded to fit securely onthe screw threaded neck 41 projecting from the upper portion of theplunger 27. The neck 41 is ring-like in form and provides a cup abovethe angular wall 29. The filler head 48 likewise is hollowed out andholds a flattened check valve plate 48 within it. This plate fits flatagainst the under, surface of the upper wall 52 of the head 40 to closeoff an opening 55 therein through which the filling would flow back intothe head. The check valve plate is preferably made with four bent wings5| as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, and the periphery of thesewings are bent to enable them to fit against the face of the neck 41.The wings limit the downward movement of the plate 48. The wings 5!provide spaces through which the filling can flow into the passage 28when the plate 48 is down'on the face of the neck AT. When the plate israised up it closes oil the opening 50 and shuts off the reverse flow ofthe filling into .the head as explained above. The head is formed solidon top and having angular passages 49 leading into it and to the opening50. A screwthreaded hole 54 is provided in the head into which a guidebar 55 is threaded. The guide bar 55 is extended vertically from thehead 40 up through a filling tank 55 to a cross strut 5'1 fastened toits top rim by'wing nuts 65 and passes through a journal 58 which isthreaded through strut 5! and is guided thereby during itsreciprocation. The journal 58 is adjustably positioned in the strut toregulate the amount of filling taken into the plunger on each up stroke.The adjustment of the journal is held in the strut by a nut 5'6. Acollar 59 is affixed on the bar 55 and controls the upward travel of thebar 55 when it hits the bottom of the journal 58.

' The filling tank 56 is funnel shaped at its lower portion 6! to guidethe filling material to the filling head and plunger 2?. A cylindricalneck surrounds the filling head where the funnel joins the base l5 inthe hole 33. A cup 63 is placed adjacent to the nozzle 46 to collectdrippings and is held in position by a bracket 54 dovetailing into thebase l9. 4

The operation of the dispenser is as follows: The filling tank issupplied with filling material to a suitable level. The operator thenoperates the microswitch 43 a number of times to fill the plunger andspout. When the system from the filling tank to the dispensing nozzleare filled, it is ready for use. The operator then pushes the doughnutor other article of food 62 over the nozzle 45 and as he does so pressesdown on the U-shaped handle 20 until it operates the microswitch 13. Themicroswitch throws the solenoid into the circuit and magnetically drawsthe plunger 21 downwardly, against the resilient resistance of thespring 35. This plunger action squeezes the filling material in thespace 51 underneath it, into the funnel outlet 31 and through the duct38, pipe 39, spout 45, where it passes from the nozzle into thedoughnut. The valve plate 48 closes the opening on the downstroke toprevent the filling material from returning to the tank. On the removalof the doughnut the handle 20 rises and releases the button I! of theswitch, and opens the electrical circuit allowing the solenoid todiscontinue its attraction and downward movement of the plunger. Theplunger 2'! then rises under the resiliency of the spring N to the limitof its stroke, the valve plate 4!! falls awomm 5,. my ffom'theiopening wandipermitsethe filling material toeente 2"if1'fib'WhG- passage 2& ofthe plungerready for next operatiom oiffilling another doughnut.Theaprocess 'continues indef fillfilyr' Siame e? the features-w theinventioncan: be many observed. The flanges fl of theplunger 2-1 nae-onthe wall oftlie neck -fifl and :keep' the filling material I fioirnentering between the wall of 'th'e p'limgei" and tha-t oi the; *neck' 63At least enough? of the '--fil-liirg is kept-' out to preventit filliirgtheannular spacesfl and compacting and causing the' surfaces 'to' gurnagainst each other. Tileefil'lingis usuallfy' of a heavy fi'uid nature.The: use zohm-solenoid instead of a rotary motor eliminates" tlrie'-ne'r-zd' for speed reducing mecha nis'msa-nd thecoinporients?incidental to their use. THEUSG 01 C'amS aTeaV0iad aS*WBHa's-tl-i'e shafts to' support and rotate them. It's valvemecha 'nism is'simple=but=efictiveand is praoticallv fool proof? Tli'e use-of aselenoid' corein the=form 'ofi'a h'ollow plunger is unique andmakes-double use" of the'-structure of i the solenoid to act as-=acomponent of 'the dispensing mechanism; thus saving inr space and thenumber= of" pa-rts used. Thifihaganimportant bearing on= the cost ofmanufacture of the device and the econom-y of its'pperati'on. Theeq-uipment can-be dismantled quickly" and easily" for-* inspection,cleaning or repair and thereby offers all 1 the" features desir= wereirom a'- sanitarwpoint of 'view": It is-ar rangedso' 'thatthe=filling-'material is encased" in thwfillihg' tank which is-lakproofand easilyremovable and interchangeable with other filling tanksandthe-parts willregister in their correct not asadimit' tosuclr design; as-itisappr'eciated that other forms" could" be designed and made a thatwould'use" the sameprincipl'esi and come witliin'the-scopeoft'lieappended claims:

Having" tlius'f described the invention", what is c'lazirnedfis.

l: A filling; dispenser "comprising in" combina tiomaibasei;a'solenoidfunitmounted 'orrsaid base, a"core likeplunger'op'erablewithin said solenoid unit. and .hollowed L out; to,.receive and dispensefilling material; afilling tank'connected with said plunger for guidingsaid material therethrough I intozisaid plunger, and a spoutconnectedsto' said 'fillingl'tanka for. delivering said: material.therefiomasJthe plungen operates :tl'rerein, for delivering the materialto said plunger, said plunger being operable reciprocatably in saidfilling tank and the core of said plunger being hollowed out to providea longitudinal passage therethrough from the said head to the bottom ofsaid plunger and the connection to said spout, said filling tankincluding a passage arranged to permit the plunger to reciprocatetherein and a wall at a predetermined portion of said passage having anorifice therein for connection to said spout as aforesaid, a switch andelectrical circuit means for operating the solenoid positioned on saidbase adjacentcto the location;otisaidispoutttoapemnt fasctleiaccesstheretowhilifilling said: article; said meaznssincludingz a resilienthandle; mechanism mountediontheibaseand actuated asthe articl tof be zfilled 'is' brouglit against :said i sp out 'ZQIATifiIIingdispensercomprising 'in combina tiong-a base; a solenoid unit mounted on saidbasea aicore lik-eaplungen operable. withinv saaid solenoid unit and-'hollowed outto receive" and dispense filling material}a-fil-lihgta-nkconnected with said plunge-n for guidihg-'sa;id materialtherethrough into said plunger; and a spout -=connected" to'-sa-idfilling tame: for? delivering said material there from as=tlieplungeroperates tiierein; means for delivering the mat'erialto said? plunger,said plunger "being" operable=reciprocatably in 'said' fill' ing=tanliand the core of said plunger being h'bl; lwediouttoprovide-aldngitudihal passage there;- through from the *said l'iead *tothe *bottom of :sa'id plunger an'd the connection to said 'spouti saidfilling tank incl1i1ding-=a passage-arrangedto per= mit'th'e plunger toreciprocate therein'an'd a wa ll at a predt'ermined portion of"said'passageliav= ingan orifice therein for connection to 'said spoutasaforesaid, a switcli and electrical circuit-meansfroperating:the--solenoid positioned onsaidb'ase adj acent to thelocation of said spout to permit facile access thereto= while" fillingsaid article, saidmea-ns including 'a resilient handle mecha nis'n-r---mounted on the base-and actuated"- as the article to be filled is--brought against said spout, saidpl-unger"including flanges projectingperiph erallir thereirom= to form anannular space be tween said flanges-to' '-receive anyfillingmateria'l that passes-the upper-flangeand'preventits com"- pac-tii'ig to" 'slow'upthe operation of 1 theplunger. 3. A filling dispenser comprising in combinedtion; abase;asolenoid' unit'mounted onsaid base, a'-core-'lil :'e-plunger= operablewithin said solenoid unit and hollowed' out toreceive'and' dispensefilling material, afilling tank connected with said Y plunger" forguiding" said" material there tli'rougli into-said plunger; and a *spoutconnected tor-saidfilling? tank fondelivering said-'materia'l therefromasthe-plunger operates therein, means for dliveringthe materialto'saidplunger; said plungenbeingoperabl reciprocatably in said fi'lling"tank'-and the -core pfsaid plunger being hol lowed out' to providealongitudinal passage theretlirough from the said'head to the 'bottomofsaid plunger" and the connection" to said" spout, said fillingtanle'including a passage arranged-to perm-it the 'plungerrtoreciprocate therein; anda walF-ata predetermined portion" of said.passage 'a/n orifice th'ereindor connection "to' said spoutas-"aforesaid; a'switchandtelectri'cal circuit means for operating thesolenoid" positioned on said base adja-cent to thelocation" of saidspout tb'-per1nit faci'l accesstlieretowhile fillingsaid articlesaidmeans"includinga resilient-"handle mechanism" mounted on" the baseand" actuated 'a's'tlie" article *to' be filled-is brought against "saidspout, said. plunger" including flanges projectingperipherallytlierefi'oimto" form an'annular space between saidfiangesto" receive any fi'lling'mate= rial that passes the upper flange andprevent its compacting to slow up the operation of the plunger, saidplunger including a check valve for facilitating the movement of thefilling material out of the plunger when it moves in one direction andinto the plunger when it moves in the opposite direction.

4. A filling dispenser comprising in combination, a base, a solenoidunit mounted on said base, a core-like plunger operable within said.

solenoid unit and hollowed out to receive and dispense filling material,a filling tank connected with said plunger for guiding said materialtherethrough into said plunger, and a spout con: nected to said fillingtank for delivering said material therefrom as the plunger operatestherein, means for delivering the material to said plunger, said plungerbeing operable reciprocatably in said filling tank and the core of saidplunger being hollowed out to provide a longitudinal passagetherethrough from the said head to the bottom of said plunger and theconnection to said spout, said filling tank including a passage arrangedto permit the plunger to reciprocate therein and a wall at apredetermined portion of said passage having an orifice therein forconnection to said spout as aforesaid, a switch and electrical circuitmeans for operating the solenoid positioned on said base adjacent to thelocation of said spout to permit facile access thereto while fillingsaid article, said means including a resilient handle mechanism mountedon the base and actuated as the article to be filled is brought againstsaid spout, said plunger including fianges projecting peripherallytherefrom to form an annular space between said flanges to receive anyfilling material that passes the upper flange and prevent its compactingto slow up the operation of the plunger, said plunger including a checkvalve for facilitating the movement of the filling material out of theplunger when it moves in one direction, and into the plunger when itmoves in the opposite direction, and a resilient member in the unit forreturning the plunger to a predetermined position when not pulled uponby said solenoid.

5. A filling dispenser comprising in combination, a base, a solenoidunit mounted on said base, a core-like plunger operable within saidsolenoid unit and hollowed out to receive and dispense filling material,a filling tank connected with said plunger for guiding said materialtherethrough into said plunger, and a spout connected to said fillingtank for delivering said material therefrom as the plunger operatestherein, means for delivering the material to said plunger, said plungerbeing operable reciprocatably in said filling tank and the core of saidplunger being hollowed out to provide a longitudinal passagetherethrough from the said head to the bottom of said plunger and theconnection to said spout, said filling tank including a passage arrangedto permit the plunger to reciprocate therein, and a wall at a predeterrmined portion of said passage having an orifice therein for connectionto said spout as aforesaid, a switch and electrical circuit means foroperating the solenoid positioned on said base adjacent to the locationof said spout to permit facile access thereto while filling saidarticle, said means including a resilient handle mechanism mounted onthe base and actuated as the article to be filled, is brought againstsaid spout, said plunger including flanges projecting peripherallytherefrom to form an annular space between said fianges to receiveanyfilling material that passes the upper flange and prevent itscompacting to slow up the operation of the plunger, said plungerincluding a check valve for facilitating the movement of the fillingmaterial out of the plunger when it moves in one direction and into theplunger when it moves in the opposite direction, a resilient member inthe unit for returning the plunger to a predetermined position when notpulled upon byrsaid solenoid, and a drip cup removably attached to saidbase for collecting dripping from said spout.

6. A filling dispenser comprising in combination, a base, a solenoidunit mounted on said base, a core-like plunger operable within saidsolenoid unit and hollowed out to receive and dispense filling material,a filling tank connected with said plunger for guiding said materialtherethrough into said plunger, and a spout connected to said fillingtank for delivering said material therefrom as the plunger operatestherein, means for delivering the material to said plunger, said plungerbeing operable reciprocatably in said filling tank and the core of saidplunger being hollowed out to provide a longitudinal passagetherethrough from the said head to the bottom of said plunger and theconnection to said spout, said filling tank including a passage arrangedto permit the plunger to reciprocate therein and a wall at apredetermined portion of said passage having an orifice therein forconnection to said spout as aforesaid, a switch and electrical circuitmeans for operating the solenoid positioned on said base adjacent to thelocation of said spout to permit facile access thereto while fillingsaid article, said means including a resilient handle mechanism mountedon the base and actuated as the article to be filled is brought againstsaid spout, said plunger including flanges projecting peripherallytherefrom to form an annular space between said flanges to receive anyfilling material that passes the upper flange and prevent its compactingto slow up the operation of the plunger, said plunger including a checkvalve for facilitating the movement of the filling material out of theplunger when it moves in one direction and. into the plunger when itmoves in the opposite direction, a resilient member in the unit forreturning the plunger to a predetermined position when not pulled uponby said solenoid, a drip cup removably attached to said base forcollecting dripping from said nozzle, and means for holding, guiding andcontrolling the travel of said plunger connected with the filling tank.

DALLAS D. BALLEW.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 950,410 Smith Feb. 22, 1910 2,381,650 Dick Aug. 7, 1945

